{"id":4335,"date":"2009-09-07T07:19:46","date_gmt":"2009-09-06T22:19:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.debito.org\/?p=4335"},"modified":"2009-09-07T07:19:46","modified_gmt":"2009-09-06T22:19:46","slug":"theworldgame-com-on-why-brazilian-footballers-in-japan-are-so-footloose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/?p=4335","title":{"rendered":"TheWorldGame.com on why Brazilian footballers in Japan are so footloose"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Handbook<\/a>\"\\\"<\/a>\"Foreign<\/a>\"\\\"<\/a>\"\u300c\u30b8\u30e3\u30d1\u30cb\u30fc\u30ba\u30fb\u30aa\u30f3\u30ea\u30fc\u3000\u5c0f\u6a3d\u5165\u6d74\u62d2\u5426\u554f\u984c\u3068\u4eba\u7a2e\u5dee\u5225\u300d\uff08\u660e\u77f3\u66f8\u5e97\uff09\"<\/a>\"JAPANESE<\/a>\"sourstrawberriesavatar\"<\/a>UPDATES ON TWITTER: arudoudebito<\/p>\n

Hi Blog. \u00a0I received this from the author yesterday for its mention of McDonald’s “Mr James”, but hell, I thought the article interesting enough (I know little about the subject) that I thought I’d bring it up here for comment. \u00a0Those more in the know, fire away. \u00a0Debito in Nagoya<\/p>\n

==================================<\/p>\n

Brazilians no mercenaries in dash for cash
\nBy Mike Tuckerman | 6 September 2009 | 17:43<\/strong>
\nhttp:\/\/www.theworldgame.com.au\/brazilians-no-mercenaries-in-dash-for-cash-232312<\/a>
\nCourtesy of the author<\/p>\n

SUBTITLE: \u00a0There was a monumental shift in Japan this week, and it wasn’t Leandro’s decision to up sticks to Al-Sadd.<\/em><\/p>\n

After a near-unbroken half-century in power, <\/strong><\/em>the ruling Liberal Democratic Party was turfed out<\/strong><\/em><\/a> by an electorate simmering with anger.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The LDP had become synonymous with corruption \u2013 its 50-year stronghold leaving the Japanese economy teetering on the brink.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

It was time for change, and the citizens of Japan duly delivered one.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Gamba Osaka striker Leandro followed a well-beaten path when he cashed in his yen to join Qatari club Al-Sadd for a fee in excess of $12 million.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The powerful forward had been at the Kansai side for barely nine months, having joined at the start of the year from local rival Vissel Kobe.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

His departure has the potential to unleash catcalls that Brazilian players are only in the J-League for the money.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Well, so what if they are?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

In a country where xenophobia is a softly-spoken secret \u2013 <\/strong><\/em>how\u2019s this for McDonald\u2019s latest Japanese ad campaign?<\/strong><\/em><\/a>\u2013 can anyone really blame Leandro for hopping on the first available flight to Doha?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Brazilian migrants first started arriving in Japan in the early 1900s.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Brazilian footballers have been an ever-present in the J-League since it kicked off in 1993, with Japanese coaches quick to harness the selfishness of Brazilian strikers in front of goal.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

But for every Leandro jetting off to the Gulf \u2013 or Emerson, or Magno Alves, or Bar\u00e9 \u2013 there’s a Zico, a Toninho, or a Fernandinho.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

There are plenty of Brazilians in the J-League committed to the cause.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Some, like the high-profile Zico, are afforded star status.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

But others toil in relative anonymity, happy to ply their trade far from their homeland, struggling to overcome cultural and language barriers.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Often their contracts are terminated with no fanfare and little regard for their welfare.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

When diminutive midfielder Fernandinho requested a transfer from Shimizu S-Pulse in 2008, he was granted an immediate loan move to Kyoto Sanga.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

His return to Nihondaira Stadium with Kyoto was greeted by a chorus of jeers from Shimizu fans, clueless as to the reasons for his departure.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Deeply religious, Fernandinho had actually moved back to the Kansai region to be closer to his congregation.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Every year, dozens of Brazilian players are summarily informed by J-League clubs that their services are no longer required.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Often the news means up-rooting home and family to look for a new club overseas.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a draining lifestyle \u2013 one I can attest to \u2013 and I don’t begrudge a single Brazilian player who chooses to make a living in Japan, or one who departs for pastures anew.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Japan Times columnist Andrew McKirdy\u2019s <\/strong><\/em>illuminating insight<\/strong><\/em><\/a> into the life of Croatian defender Mato Neretljak proves it’s not just Brazilians willing to make a fist of things in Japan.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Leandro will be replaced \u2013Gamba signed Pedro Junior on the day of Leandro’s exit \u2013 and there are plenty more Brazilians to try their luck in the J-League.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

In an ideal world we would judge them for their exploits on the pitch, and not on their cut of big-money intercontinental transfers.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[Gamba Osaka striker Leandro’s] departure has the potential to unleash catcalls that Brazilian players are only in the J-League for the money.<\/p>\n

Well, so what if they are?<\/p>\n

In a country where xenophobia is a softly-spoken secret \u2013 how\u2019s this for McDonald\u2019s latest Japanese ad campaign?\u2013 can anyone really blame Leandro for hopping on the first available flight to Doha?…<\/p>\n

There are plenty of Brazilians in the J-League committed to the cause. Some, like the high-profile Zico, are afforded star status.<\/p>\n

But others toil in relative anonymity, happy to ply their trade far from their homeland, struggling to overcome cultural and language barriers.<\/p>\n

Often their contracts are terminated with no fanfare and little regard for their welfare…<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a draining lifestyle \u2013 one I can attest to \u2013 and I don’t begrudge a single Brazilian player who chooses to make a living in Japan, or one who departs for pastures anew.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,12,17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4335","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cultural-issue","category-immigration-assimilation","category-sport"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4335","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4335"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4335\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}